24 Hours
by daniidepp
Summary: Bella and best friend Alice decide to start their summer at Alice's brother's famous, wild house party, but what started off as a simple night out, becomes the craziest night of Bella's life. Strangers? Getting lost? Dancing on roofs? Falling in love?


**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. **

3:24pm

"This is _big_." Alice's glossy lips popped, her big blue eyes wide and serious as we walked the halls of Cal High. Teenagers like cockroaches crowding the halls, people like dogs yelling to each other. Alice pushed and squeezed us by everyone while I followed, dragging my Converse at a speed that seemed achingly slow. Get out was all I could think, please let me out of this school.

"Not that _big_." I rolled my eyes at Alice's exaggeration. The same minute football players decided to throw themselves at me violently knocking me into a group of girls standing by their lockers. My hair flew into my face and I stumbled over my own two feet blushing furiously and murmuring sorrys while they glared.

"Not that _big_? Its _huge_ Bells, like _huge_. Probably...Wait _most _definitely the biggest party of our lives." Alice went on to explain completely oblivious to the fact I almost died in the middle of the hall way. I pulled my shirt down and moved the mess of brown locks from my face and composed myself behind Alice while she went on and on about the party.

"It's the end of the year. Its summer Bella, what way to start it then my big brothers summer bash?"

"Alice. I never even met your brother. I highly doubt I'll know anyone else at that party."

"Trust me Bella no one misses an Emmett party. If you have any sense at all you'll go. I'm surprised I haven't taken you to one of his 'get togethers' earlier. It's really my fault then."

I sighed deeply letting her go on and on about the brother she adored so much and his amazing party's while I tried to stay alive as we exited the school. Teenagers like animals shoving and pushing; monkey's laughing and laughing about nothing funny at all. I huffed till we got to the exit door. Alice unlike me could actually stand high school just a tiny bit she could go on with her life without detesting the place, then again Alice couldn't hate anything and you just couldn't hate Alice. Every day since the day I met her she has been the most and completely surprising person I have ever met. Filled with laughter and excitement about anything and almost everything. I couldn't see myself ever becoming so close to someone so opposite of myself, but she proved me wrong as always. Years went by and I found myself almost physically attached to her. I try to remember these things as she forcefully tries to persuade me to her brother Emmett's summer extravaganza, I easily forget these things as I keep refusing to go and she continues to beg.

"And who knows you might meet someone cool..." Alice went on and I checked out of the conversation once more, for my own mental health really. This party would be the death of me, it would give Alice a reason to nag me for weeks and weeks, it would give her a reason to yell and squeal about things I could care less about. I loved her, she was my best friend but I hate her when it comes to these kinds of things.

'All about the High School experience.' She always says, like trying to get me drunk every other weekend at crazy massive house parties is for the experience. I'm pretty sure my mother as a teenager read the bible on the weekends and fed the homeless on the week days. Sometimes I wish I were more like my mother. It sure would be a lot easier.

"Bye Bella." A few familiar faces waved and I nodded briefly, silently suffocating the longer we stayed in the building. My hands gripped onto my book bag in annoyance as once again I was shoved by a passing student. High School was alright to me most of the time and then there were times like these where I plotted secretly to come back and burn it all down tonight. I was a bit dramatic at times, high school isn't all that bad.

"Don't you like parties Bella?" Alice poked my arm as she struggled to get us past a group of obnoxious students.

"Yeah." I answered honestly, because they were fun not all the time but most of the time my party days with Alice have been good. We drink a little sometimes a lot, I refuse to smoke anything when Alice offers and losing my virginity Freshman year sure gives a person experience. But I wasn't a _Party Girl._ Alice was a _Party Girl. _She's done everything, she loves everything and people know things about Alice but not about me. People don't know about me, they know I go out but they never see me do anything so they have nothing to share Monday about Isabella Swan. They have no rumor to spread because everyone saw the same thing. They saw Bella making an appearance. And they are right. That is exactly what I was doing.

"Then you're going to love this mega party." Alice smiled brightly putting her short black hair behind her ear as we approached the exit door, finally. I'm sure relief was written all over my face, I couldn't stand this crowded place any longer. My feet stopped moving so slowly and I found myself pushing Alice to go faster. She yelped and ran forward pushing the exit door out and letting the cool fresh breeze in and all over me. I could feel my lips parting into a brilliant smile as we walked outside, Alice still looking at me strangely.

"Doubt it." I breathed, at peace but still determined to win.

"Yes you are." She insisted pouting and looking up at me with those deep blue eyes.

"I rather stay home." I rolled my eyes at Alice. I could see the pleading in her eyes, the pout set on her perfect pink lips. The 'oh please Belly please' coming, just waiting to assault me. How could I stop it, the girl could stop war if you put her to it. She should be stopping war; she should be doing something useful with her god given talent not this! Not torturing me. It was wrong, it was stupid. Most of all stupid. I bit on my lip in annoyance, and watched the people far behind Alice get in their old white car and drive out the school parking lot; I watched the jocks pass laughing at whatever they are always laughing about with their heads thrown back and their laughs loud and obnoxious. Alice doesn't move an inch, she stands in front of me with that pleading look frozen, the wind blows her short jet black hair in her face and she doesn't even raise a finger to move it. Pathetic.

She opened her mouth to say something but I cut her off with my burst of annoyance.

"I'll go, I'll go just please shut up!" I caved putting my hands over my eyes and groaning into the palms of my hand. She wins again. 4000 for Alice… 0 for Bella.

"Oh thank you thank you!" She squealed grabbing a hold of my waste and jumping up and down.

"Shut up!." I groaned and she hugged me tighter. I pulled back and set her straight with my hands on her shoulders. I looked down on her and she stayed silently looking up at me intensely with determination.

"Anything." She nodded.

"No ditching me!" I pointed a finger at her.

"Never!" She gasped.

"Just don't do it!"

"I won't, I won't."

"Okay." I sighed in defeat and she attacked me once more with her thank you's.

"You're an idiot." I giggled eventually returning the hug.

5:00pm

"Alice's house tonight?" My mother washed dishes and pretended to care about my day.

"Oh yeah." I sat up a little straighter fearing my mother the most right now knowing I'm a terrible liar.

"What are you guys going to do?" She glanced at me from behind her shoulder continuing to wash dishes. I gulped rather loudly and squirmed in my seat uncomfortably.

"Pizza… And a movie." I shrugged my hands on the table shaking with my nerves. Lying wasn't something I enjoyed doing, but something I had to do in order to keep up with my plans on weekends. One time I told her I was going with Alice to visit her brother for the weekend so I could go with Alice and her old boyfriend to Palm Springs. Emmett being the party brother and all covered for her and I still wondered about it to this day.

"I'm thinking of leaving early, she has the whole night planned out. You know Alice…" My voice shaky. She turns the water off and turns her body to face me with that deep motherly look. The kind that makes you want to confess like you're talking to the Pope, the kind of face that makes you flinch even from a mile away. I quickly looked down at my hands violently biting my bottom lip.

"You need a ride?"

"No." I answered a little too fast, then biting my lip again before continuing. "Alice's picking me up."

"Right now?"

"I think..."

"Well you better be ready when she gets here." My mom ran a hand through her brown locks.

"Yeah." I sighed getting up from the table immediately, stumbling maybe once or twice from the table which wasn't too out of the ordinary for me. I hurried out of the kitchen and straight up stairs to my room before I did anything else suspicious.

People lie to their parents all the time I kept thinking, I kept repeating. It doesn't make it right, but still I should be use to this by now. I shouldn't fear her long stares or her concerned eyes; I should just be good at this stuff like a regular teenager. My mother knows I lie, she's not an idiot, and she knows what teenagers like Alice do. She knows what happens out there. The woman doesn't live under a rock. Still she lets me do it and I don't know why. I don't question either. My mom was never strict not even when my dad was around, she was always the easy going one from what I can remember. Just don't get hurt was her thing, 'just be safe' was all it took. I can't remember ever feeling unloved by that woman and I don't remember ever hating her not even for one second. In reality my mom was my everything. Growing up with no Dad you see how strong a woman can be. She's been through everything and back and still put up with me. Incredible.

I thought these thoughts when I lied. I thought these thoughts when guilt was heavy on my back.

I tried to focus on getting everything I needed for tonight.

I had my phone, I had my charger for my phone, I had my house keys, I had all my cute blouses, I had my leather jacket, I had my tooth brush, I had my hairbrush. That was it. The rest was Alice and I wasn't looking forward to that. Alice was always looking for reasons to attack me with hair brushes and makeup. This would be one of those attacking occasions.

"Bella you're dad called." My mom yelled up the stairs. My hands froze and I stared at my bag for a long time without moving.

I could hear my breathing and I could hear my heart, I could hear outside, and I could hear cars. I had heard my mother, and I would respond the way I did so many times before. When it comes to dad, we just don't talk about it.

"Hm." I smirked grabbing all my items and flying out my room in record time

_Sooner the better, the sooner the better. Get out the house. Just get out the house. _

"Bella." My mom's voice was laced with concern, and I tried to stop myself from rolling my eyes.

"Gotta go Alice is picking me up from Jessica's she's going to." I said so fast I hardly heard myself. I give her a kiss on the cheek and ran out the door.

"Give him a chance! Call me!" I heard her call as I book it down the side walk, and pass my friendly neighbor mowing the lawn.

"Bye mom." I called back.

6:30pm

"You're dad called?" Alice held a black mini dress up to her slim body, watching herself in her full length mirror.

"Yeah." I sighed throwing myself back on Alice's bed. "Again."

"Did she tell you what he said?" Alice switched angles in the mirror, then glanced at me from over her shoulder, much like my mom had when she was questioning me while doing the dishes.

"Nope. Didn't let her."

"Oh come on Belly. He probably wants to say sorry." Alice turned her whole body towards me and letting the dress fall to the floor.

"I like that one." I said in a small voice trying to change the subject immediately.

"I mean at least he calls you." Alice looked to the ground, and I remember how her father left her too, never calling, never sending a letter. Like he was never there at all.

"I'm sorry Al." I frowned feeling embarrassed I hadn't considered her feelings.

"Don't be, I just want you to take full advantage of him trying be part of your life." She went back to holding the black mini dress to her body and gazing at herself in the mirror. It was always as if Alice was putting herself in my situation, if it was her father she would be answering the call, if it was her father she would be writing back letters. I know deep down inside Alice wishes it was her father and it kills me. Alice hurts more than she lets on, and only I know that.

"Can we not talk about this." I sighed deeply squeezing my eyes shut. Too many thoughts come at once when thinking of that man.

"Sure." Alice smiled understandingly and threw the black mini dress on me. "I want you to wear it."

"Oh I bet." I laughed. "You're funny."

"I'm serious! You'll look hot!" She insisted.

"No, try again." I smirked throwing the black mini dress back at her. "Plus who wears black mini's to parties?"

"Very true. I'm glad you're catching on." Alice winked at me in the mirror.

"Shut up." I rolled my eyes. "But you could work it Ally."

"You think?" She held it up to her body again.

"Definitely."

8:23pm (early for the long drive to Emmett's house)

Alice decided to be nice to me tonight and let me wear my Converse.

She let me go light on the makeup just some blush and mascara and my hair hung down to my shoulders in delicate silk like waves. I had on the black and white striped mini skirt with a white loose off the shoulder shirt and a black leather jacket. It gave off casual but it was meant for a party says Alice who rocked the black mini dress in stilettos and her leather jacket. Her short jet black hair was straightened framing her pale face and making her blue eyes pop, she didn't have to wear much make up, she was far too beautiful to begin with.

"Jessica! Hurry up!" Alice screamed at the dark house as we pulled up in Alice's black BMW, I slapped her arm reminding her that Jessica was probably sneaking out as always. Unlike Alice and I, Jessica's parents had a reason not to trust her. With almost 3 pregnancy scares and 2 DUI's Jessica was pretty much grounded for life. I don't even remember how Alice and I started talking to her, it really brought us down on the food chain and I hated to even think that but it was so true.

"I'm coming!" Jessica hissed in a whisper almost emerging from out of nowhere and to the car window making both Alice and I jump unexpectedly. Alice's hands searched for the unlock button while Jessica panicked outside, and once the doors 'clicked' Jessica flung herself in the back seat gasping for air.

"Drive!" She all but screamed and I watched her like she was crazy.

"Are you trying to get us arrested, you're parents will put out a report we kidnapped you!" I said incredulously throwing my hands in the air.

"Oh hush, I just needed to get out of there before they saw. They won't care once I'm gone." Jessica said still breathing heavy.

"Alright… I guess." Alice and I glanced at each other worriedly then back at the road. It was a few minutes before the mood in the car went back to normal and Alice was singing loudly to a pop song on the radio.

"Party!" Alice squealed along with Jessica as they sang loudly and I just laughed and laughed the whole ride there. Hopefully the night was bearable; hopefully I'd get something out of it.

I glanced back at Alice and she winked at me as she sang along obnoxiously making me burst into another fit of giggles.

**A/N: Please review telling me what you thought and if I should continue, Thank you! :]**


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